Feed mechanism for automatic firearms cartridge belt feed type



B. MAILLARD l 2,644,365 FEED MECHANISI FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARIIS CARTRIDGE BELT FEED TYPE l 5 Sheets-Sheet l mvnvmn BERNARD Hmm/P0,

WTTRNEY July 7, .1953

Filed my. 10,A 195o Jly 7, 1953 B. MAILLRD 2,644,365

FEED MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 CARTRIDGE BELT FEED TYPE Filed Nov. 10, 1950 hy; N

2 J5 Pl l? 2526 36,

- IYVENTOR BEP/YHRD HILL/VRD,

` B. MAILLARD FEED MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS (,ARTRIDGE BELT FEED TYPE July 7, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Ney. 1o. 195o ATTR/VEY GMM July 7, 1953 B. MAILLARD 2,644,365

' FEED MEDEANISM EDR AUTDMATIC EIREARMS CARTRIDGE BELT FEED TYPE Filed Nov. 10. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fly/24. @n yf.

C l Y INYENTR BER/VHF@ FIL L HRD,

July. 7.` 1953 a. MAILLARD 2,644,365

FEED MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS CARTRIDGE` BELT FEED TYPE Y Filed Nov. 10, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES NT QFFECE FEED MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE- ARMS CARTRDGE BELT FEED TYPE VYApplicationNovember l0, 1950, Serial No. 194,996

in Luxembourg November 18, 1949 i Claims.

The present invention relates to feed mecha- Vnisms for automatic rearms in which the cartridges are mounted on a belt, the expression feed mechanism applying to any mechanism capable of conveying the cartridges toward the arm during firing. My invention is more particularly concerned with automatic firearms the breechblock of which is controlled through means other than recoil, for instance through a gas tap control system.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those existing at the present time.

According to my invention, the feed mechanism in question includes an elastic device operative by the reciprocating displacements of said firearm with respect to its support for storing up recoil energy during a portion of each of said reciprocating displacements, instead of letting it be transmitted directly to the cartridges, and means actuated by said elastic de vice for applying the energy thus stored upto the feed of at least one cartridge, during a subsen quent portion of said reciprocating displacement.

According to a feature of my invention, the elastic device receives energy during at least a portion of the recoil stroke of the firearm with respect to its support and restores it to the cartridge belt, to propel it in a direction transverse to the barrel axis, during a portion of the frontward return stroke of said firearm,

According to another feature of my invention,

in a firearm of the indirect feed type, i. e. where every cartridge, upon being detached from the 'cartridge belt, is to undergo a further translatory displacement, in a direction transverse to the belt, to come into position preparatory to its introduction into the cartridge chamber, the elastic device receives energy from the belt feed mechanism, during each step of the feed movement of the belt, and restores it to the cartridge detached from the belt to give it said translatory displacement as a preceding cartridge is being moved into the cartridge chamber'.

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described 'with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example and in which:

Fig. l is an elevational vien1 of a rearm of the indirect feed type provided with a feed mechanism according to my invention;

Figs. 2 to 5 show this feed mechanism on a larger scale, respectively in longitudinal section on the line II-II of Fig. 3, in horizontal section .2 on the line III-III of Fig. 2 and in cross sections on the line IV-IV and V-V of Fig. 2, the feed belt being removed;

Figs. 6 to S are diagrammatical views showing three different relative positions of some elements of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical View showing the arrangement of a feed mechanism of this kind for a firearm of the direct feed type;

Figs. 10 to 12 are diagrammati-cal views show ing (in section on V-V of Fig. 2 for -Figs. 10 and l1 and IV--IV of Fig. 2 for Fig. 12) three different relative positions of the parts for detaching the cartridges from the belt and bringing them into position of introduction in the case of a feed device as shown by Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 13 shows the position of the same parts and of the last cartridge when the belt is at its end (section View on V-V of Fig. 2);

Figs. 14 to 19 are diagrammatical views showing different relative positions of the parts of a mechanism for detaching the cartridges from the belt and bringing them into position of introduction, according to an embodiment of my invention different from that shown by Figs. 10 to 12;

Fig. 20 shows, similarly to Fig. 13 but in the case of the mechanism illustrated by Figs. 1i to 19, the position of the parts of this mechanism when the belt is at its end.

The automatic firearm shown by the drawing (Fig. l) essentially includes a barrel I carrying, at the rear end thereof, a breech casing 2 in which moves a breechblock 3 urged toward the front by a recuperator spring 4 and controlled, for release thereof, by a gas top control system 5.

This assembly, which constitutes the firearm proper, is mounted slidable in a fixed support or cradle 6 with the interposition of an elastic system 'i for absorbing part of the recoil of the arm with respect to its support and ensuring return thereof toward the front.

Rigid with support B there is provided a plate 8 intended to receive the feed mechanism and for instance secured to support 6 through an arm I0, so that the upper edge of the breech casing slides along this plate during the reciprocating movement of the firearm.

Of course, plate 8 is provided with means for detachably fixing feed mechanism 9, and constituted, for instance, at the front by a mortise and tenon device i l and at the rear by a retractable locking finger l2.

According to a conventional arrangement, the feed mechanism 9 is operated by the recoil stroke of the rearm with respect to its support and to the feed mechanism carrier plate 8 rigid with said support, said feed mechanism including for this purpose a system interposed between the arm proper and the belt B to be propelled for transmitting .the recoil ienergy to the belt feed means.

According to my invention, I combine with this transmission system an elastic device whereby at least a portion o the recoil energy istemporarily stored up, instead of being used directly to move cartridge belt B forward, and means actuated by this elastic devicefor' applying the energy thus stored up tov .thedrive of the belt, after the recoil stroke of the arm has taken place and during the beginning ofits. returnrstroke.

if the transmission system is offthe 'type including an oscillating lever actuating a belt driving sliding member, the elastic device may be arranged to cooperate with the part which` Vacts upon said lever when "the liirearm `recoilsso as temporarily to limit the amplitude of yoscillation of the leverin question, the remainder of vthe oscillation of which then takes place, after the end of the rearm recoil stroke, under the eiTect of the energy restored by said elastic device.

By way of example, it will be supposed lthat the transmission system essentially comprises the following elements:

(a) A lever I3 pivoted about a pin Id carried' at its rear end, an operating finger 2t engaged in a longitudinal slot 2! of a sliding member 22 movable transversely (with'respectto the axis of barrel I);

(b) Sliding member'22, provided with'rollers 23 running on guideways 2li Vrigid with cover plate I5, this sliding member acting as support for pawls 25 intended to push the belt forward and urged toward their active positions by springs 26; and

(c) Holding pawls 2l pivoted to thefcasingof lfeed mechanism-9 and opposing-return movement Yof belt B.

The elastic system intendedv temporarily to store up a portion of the recoil energy is constituted by a push-piece 28 provided with a spring 29 and mounted in the casing'of feed mechanism 9 in such manner-that it is pushed back by a roller Ila carried by cam I'Lwhen this -cam tends to pivot oscillating lever I3.

Thus, the amplitude of pivoting of said lever, during the recoil stroke of the firearm, will depend, among other factors, upon the strength'of spring 29, said amplitude being Vthe smaller as .this

strength is lower.

However, it should be noted that the 'strength of spring 29 must be suicie'ntly high forcausing,

upon return of the arm toward the front and while cam Il is still engaged under roller IS, push-piece 23 to return to its initial position. Thus, the full displacement of. lever I3 will take place before cam Il is withdrawn (i. e. before the end of the return movement 'of the firearm toward the front).

Advantageously, the amplitude of the displacements of push-pieces It and .'28 will be limited t to the maximum values admissible during operation of the mechanism, which can be obtained by means of projecting abutments 3e carried by the casing of the feed mechanism and engaged in elongated slots provided in the walls of the pushl pieces.

1n order to transmit the 'upward thrust ci pushpiece 2B to the roller iii of lever i3 during the l heel of. cam Hand compels 'the active end thereoic ment 1s higher.

tto engage .between roller i6 and push-piece 2t.

When the arm is returning toward 'the iront, cam ii is nrst held back between said roller It and push-piece 2t so as to act as a thrust trans- `mitting means between these two parte, after which itis disengaged'so asto enable lever. i3` to return to its initial position.

It seems particularly advantageous to make use, for this purpose, of the embodimentjillustrated by Fig. 3. Y

The rear part or" cam il (the active end of which bears upon push-piece 23) is pivotally connected to the end 32a of a lever 32 pivoted at its middle part 32h to support 3l, the other end of this lever being subjected to the action of return spring means 33 so as to urge the head of said cam Il toward said support 3i.

The active end of cam H xcarries a small projection i'b capable, once ithas moved past roller It,v of holding back said .camso that, at the beginning of the frontward return stroke of the ilrearm, the cam lags beh-ind it.

l will now explain how the belt feed mechanism above described operates.

\ in order to facilitate Yunderstanding of .this operation, l have shown, on Figs. 6 to 8, three relative positions successively occupied by cam I1, lever I3 andpush-pieces i2 and 2%.

When a shot is red, these various elements are in the positions shown by Figs. 3 and 6, i. e. support 3l strikes the .heelof cam Il' and the end of this cam rests, .through roller Ila, upon push-piece 2S without however 4having yet come into contact withY thercller` I6 .of lever it. As soon as the arm has moved backward suiciently far for achieving Ythis contact, cam I'iengages between roller iii and push-piece 2t, which is the more depressed, against .the vaction of springie, as the resistanceof the belt to its forward move- At the end'of. therecoil stroke ofthe iirearmnprojection Ib of cam il runs beyond roller I6 (position vshown by 1Fig..7) and, when kthe rearm is, returning toward the-iront, this projection Yholdsback.cam il the `heel of which ceases to be in Contactl with support 3i.

. This .cam then .acts as connecting member between lever I3 and push-piece 28, which restores to said lever the energy stored up during the recoil stroke of the arm (position shown by Fig. 8). The energy thus restored causes lever I3 to complete its clockwise pivoting movement and sliding member `22, actuated by this lever, terminates its transverse stroke, the Whole of which ensures, through pawls 25, one forward step of belt B. During the end of the frontward movement of the irearm, cam Il is disengageddue to the fact that it has reached, with respect to piece SI, the maximum displacement permitted by link 32, elastic means 33 again applying the heel of said cam against said support 3l (position shown by Fig. 6). From this time on, the various elements have returned to their initial positions and are ready to reproduce the same cycle as soon as the next shot is fired.

`Such a feed mechanism has, from the point of view of the belt forward movement system, many advantages with respect to the known types of feed mechanisms.

First, the elastic device which plays the part of temporary energy accumulator gives some flexibility to the transmission of movement to belt B.

Secondly, owing to the delayed transmission of a portion of the recoil energy, the forward movement of belt B can be made to extend over Y a portion of the period during which the firearm returns toward the front after its recoil, which is advantageous in view of the inertia of said belt.

Thirdly, the various elements of the feed mechanism are readily accessible, owing to the fact that cover I5 can be lifted, and the insertion of a fresh cartridge belt does not require prelimin nary tensioning of any spring.

I will now describe how the lcartridges are unfastened from the clips which constitute the belt elements for bringing them into position of introduction into the firearm barrel.

It should first be noted that all that has been stated above concerning the belt feed mechanism would remain true in the case of a direct feed firearm where, as shown by Fig. 9, the first car tridge I to be introduced would be brought, by the step-by-step feed displacement of belt B, across the path of travel of the nose 3a provided on the breechblock for driving the cartridge, said cartridge being then unfastened from the belt during the substantially axial displacement thereof which introduces it into the cartridge chamber of the firearm.

It will now be supposed that the firearm is of the indirect feed type, i. e. that the cartridge is unfastened from the belt in a position, herein* after called unfastening position," from which it must be fed to the position of introduction (where it is caught by the breechblock nose), and this whatever be the feed system adopted for feeding the cartridge belt through the firearm.

According to my invention, these operations of unfastening the cartridges and feeding them from unfastening position into position of introduction are performed, at least partly, by an elastic device which stores up energy supplied by the belt feed mechanism during the step which brings the cartridges successively into unfastening position, and gives back this energy when a cartridge has reached this position both to unfasten this cartridge from the belt and to move a cartridge into introduction position.

It will first be supposed that this elastic device is to achieve this result wholly by itself.

I constitute said elastic device by V-shaped springs 3ft of sufficient strength (Figs. l0 to 13) one branch of which is fixed to the cover plate l5 of the feed mechanism and the other branch of which bears upon the `cartridge which is being moved toward unfastening position, said springs being preferably disposed on either side of the slideway of sliding member 22.

I dispose, on the side toward which the clips of belt B are ejected, two elastic abutments 35 the noses of which project (Fig. 4), under the action of their springs 3E, above the vertical passage 31 through which the cartridges are successively fed. from unfastening position to introduction position, these noses acting as abutments for the front edges of the belt clips while springs 34 push out the cartridges lfrom said clips.

I provide, inside passage 31, a spring 38 adapted to retract as long as the cartridges which pass through said passage undergo a downward thrust from the extraction springs 34, said spring 38 being intended to hold back the last cartridge of the belt (Fig. 13).

Such a mechanism works as follows, as illustrated by Figs. 10 to 12.

The cover plate of the belt feed mechanism having been lifted, the cartridge belt is inserted in such manner that the first cartridge (cartridge III on Fig. 10) is positioned beyond retaining pawls 21. Two cartridges I and II previously extracted by hand from their respective belt clips are then engaged into passage 31. The cover plate is closed back and springs 34 exert their thrust upon cartridge II. The breechblock being then supposed to be locked in rear position, when the trigger is depressed the breechblock is released and its driving nose catches, as it is moving frontward, cartridge I, introduces it into the cartridge chamber and fires it. Simultaneously, there has been a downward movement of cartridge II under the action of springs 34 until it is stopped by spring 38 (Fig. 11). As soon as cartridge I is fired, the cartridge belt feed mech anism is actuated by the recoil and cartridge III is thus moved forward transversely into contact with the top of springs 3B and above the introduction passage 31, in a position where it bears upon cartridge II (Fig. 12) and pushes it into contact with the top surface of the breechblock. In the course of this movement, cartridge III pushes back abutments 35 and 4deflects extraction springs 34 upwardly. At the end of the recoil stroke of the breechblock, the energy thus stored up in springs 34 serves to push cartridge II into introduction position while unfastening cartridge III from its belt clip, said clip being prevented from moving down with cartridge III both by abutments 35 and by the next cartridge of the belt. The three first cartridges to be introduced into the barrel are now in the same relative positions as shown by Fig. l0.

When the last cartridge of the belt is engaged into passage 31, springs 34 are no longer deflected upwardly and said last cartridge is held back by spring 38 (Fig. 13) in a position such that it is not caught by the breechblock nose when said breechblock moves frontward.

Such a system for feeding the cartridges from unfastening position to position of introduction has the advantage of dispensing the cartridge belt feed mechanism from the necessity of exerting any sudden increase of Work, the energy required for unfastening and moving down the cartridges (deection of springs 3d) being stored up gradually during the period of time for which the belt makes one step. Furthermore, once this energy has been accumulated and the first cartridge has reached the unfastening position, the pressure which serves to unfasten said cartridge is independent of the pulling effort exerted upon the belt.

I will now describe, with reference to Figs. 1.4 to 20, a construction in which the elastic device which accumulates energy supplied by the forward movement of the belt only `participates in the operation of unfastening the cartridges from their respective belt clips and this operation is Vto thefree; end of .the vcorresponding elastic abutment 35, whereas the notch 39h existing between said :centralarm Y39a. and front arm 39o (the end .39d .of which constitutes a lifting nose) is of Yrounded shape `soas to accommodate. theA rst zcartridge coming toxintroduction passage Si.

.The .'osoillating movement. of each extractor leverl is'transmitted. thereto by a crank lever fIlZtpivotedabout a pinli rigid with casing 2, one of the'Y branches 32d oithis lever. EZ :being .located 'onthe'end portionorthepath of travel of sliding member .22, .whereas the other branch 2b is engaged inethe .interval separating the central arm Sea fromltherear. arm iie'of extractor lever whereby, when saidrbran'ch 12b pivots in the directionindicated by the arrow, it acts upon arm Sec 'and causes levertil to pivot so as to uniasten from its'clip the/cartridge .housed in notch 3th. Y Such 'a cartridgel feed -device operates as I"ol1 lows:

As a preliminari/'operation twocartridges I and 'II previously removed from. their respective belt clips are inserted into lpassage 3l. Vblock being in the rear position, cartridge I rests The breechupon the lips or lower edges of said passage 'whereas cartridge II is `applied against said cartrid'ge Iby springs The .first cartridge III ofthe belt is lengaged towardthe. left beyond paw] 2; is illustrated by Figi 14.

"When the breechblock is released, it catches, von its frontward stroke, cartridge Lintroduces it into thecartr-idge chamber Vand fires it. The arm recoils and `causes sliding member 22 to move from right to left while the breechblock moves back to come under cartridge II, which is held at a distance above said breechblock by spring S8. The forward (leftward) movement of the cartridge belt, caused by the displacement of sliding member 22, brings, on the one hand, cartridge III into notch -3'917 and, on the other hand, therfree end of each elastic abutment Bunder the edge of the belt clip of cartridge III, lever 3Q having pivoted slightly, Vin `the'direction indicated by the arrow of Fisio, due to the thrust exerted by the nose 39d of lever 39 onsaid cartridge III. The positions of the parts at the end of this second step of the operation are shown by Fig. 15.

As sliding member 22 keeps moving toward the left, cartridge III tends to pivot lever 39 in the cartridge unfastening direction (indicated by the arrow on Fig. 16), this movement being further positively caused by lever l2 the branch 42a of which has come into contact with said sliding member near the end of its movement and the other branch, 42h, of which then acts upon the rear arm 39e of the extractor lever. The edge of the bolt clip of cartridge III is supported by the ends of elastic abutments and'this cartridge is being pushed out from said clip (Fig. 16).

Sliding member 22 keeps moving toward the left and cartridge III is wholly freed from its clip and brought into Contact with cartridge II, which isstll being Vheld back byA spring 38 (Fig. 17).

This relative positioning Vof the parts" Vlips ofv said passage when the breechblock has moved a suicient distance to the rear (positions of cartridges II .and III shown in dotted lines on Fig. 18). When the breechblook moves back `towardthe. iront, .-car-.tr-idge II is caught by said breeohblock While cartridge III is held back by springl38. (springs3fla being now practically without tension) Sliding--member :22 remains in .the position shown. by Fig. 1.8 until the irearm -has moved back in the frontward direction a distance equal to more than one. half oiits total strokaafter whichsaid sliding memberstarts back in the :opposite direction, compr-:lling pavvls 25 to `pass above cartridge IV (position shown by Fig. 19), the cartridge belt .being held stationary, during this time, by retainingpawls 2l. In the meantime,.under .the thrustcfelastic abutments 35, extractor-lever Siihas returned to its initial position by pivoting in a direction indicated by the arrow on said Fig. 19.v The various elements of the feed mechanism yare thensubstantially inthe same .position as. in Fig. 15 and the same vcycle of operations. isnowerepeated.

Fig. v2l'sl'iovvsthe position of. thevariousparts .once the lasticartri-dge X o thebelt hasbeenunfastened;andheldback by. spring 38, this figure .also showing. the travel .of the .empty belt. clips.

` In a 'general manner., y.while `I have, in the above description, disclosed 'what I deem to be practical .andpeiiici-ent embodiments of my invention, it

should be well understoodzthat I do not wish to belimited thereto as theremight be changes made in. the. arrangement, `disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle ofthe present inventionas comprehended withinthe scope of the accompanying claims.

What Iclaim is:

. 1. For. use in'connection with an automatic nrearm Yof the type in whichthe cartridges to. be brought into a position of introductionl into said firearm are detachably assembled together in the form of a ycartridge belt, this firearm being mounted to reciprocate with respect to its support in a direction parallel to the line of re, rearwardly under the effect of recoil and frontwardly under the 'effect of .elastic return means, a feed mechanism .which comprises, in combination, a reciprocating sliding member movable in said support transversely to said line. of yire, means carried by said member. for driving said cartridge belt together with said member. in one direction,4 an oscillating lever pivoted to said support operatively connected with said sliding member for driving it7V elastic energy'storing means carried by said support including a part movable with respect to said support and means fork elastic'ally opposing movement 'of said part with respect to said support, wedge means operatively connected with said rearm for rearward movement together therewith arranged to engage between said part and vsaid lever during the end of the rearward stroke of said .re'arm to drivesaid part and said lever away from'each other, wherebyenergyis impar-ted tosaid energygstoring'means and said sliding member is actuated, vlink means between said piece and said iirearm arranged to enable said piece to lag between said rearm during a portion of the frontward return stroke thereof, and means for temporarily holding said piece between said lever and said energy storing means during a portion of the rearm return stroke to enable said energy storing means to transmit through said piece a further pivoting displacement to said lever by restoring thereto the energy stored up in said energy storing means.

2. For use in connection with an automatic rearm of the type in which the cartridges to be brought into a position of introduction into said firearm are detachably assembled together in the form oi a cartridge belt, this rearm being mounted to reciprocate with respect to its support in a direction parallel to the line of re, rearwardly under the eiect of recoil and frontwardly under the effect of elastic return means, a feed mechanism which comprises, in combination, a reciprocating sliding member movable in said support transversely `to said line of fire, pawl means carried by said member for driving said cartridge belt together with said member in one direction, an oscillating lever pivoted to said support operatively connected with said sliding member for driving it, a spring push-piece movably guided in said support, a cam adapted to engage between said oscillating lever and said push-piece so as to be able to cooperate with both, link means between said cam and said rearm for causing said cam both to compress said pushpiece and to pivot said lever during the recoil stroke of the rearm, said link means being arranged to leave said cam interposed between said lever and said push-piece during a portion of the frontward return stroke of the rearm, and means for temporarily keeping said cam between said lever and said push-piece during a portion of the rearm return stroke to enable said push-piece to transmit through said cam a further pivoting displacement to said lever by restoring thereto the energy stored up in said push-piece.

3. A feed mechanism according to claim 2 in which the means for keeping the cam between said push-piece and said lever consist of a projection carried by said cam and adapted to cooperate with said lever.

4. A feed mechanism according to claim 2 in which said cam includes a heel portion adapted to bear against a part of the rearm proper, said link means including a lever pivoted in its intermediate part to said firearm and hinged at one end to said cam, spring means being interposed between the other end of said lever and said rearm.

BERNARD MAILLARD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,709,162 Westervelt Apr, 16, 1929 1,808,847 Hatcher June 9, 1931 2,388,670 Bixby Nov. 13, 1945 2,389,960 Dobremysl Nov. 27, 1945 2,397,501 Meyer Apr. 2, 1946 2,453,977 Eames Nov. 16, 1948 2,529,822 Stacey Nov. 14, 1950 

